Apparatus for sweating out fusible metals



1936. w. F. EPPENSTElNER 2,066,257

APPARATUS FOR SWEATING OUT FUSIBLE METALS Filed Dec. 6, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet l W. F. EPPENSTEiNER APPARATUS FOR SWEATING OUT FUSIBLE METALS Filed Dec. 6, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Y 1/ 4 2 1/ l/ H l 1 1 R7 1/ 1 mW. .V@ b ills R Li Dec. 29, 1936.'

W. F. EPPENSTEINER APPARATUS FOR SWEATING OUT FUSIBLE METALS Filed Dec. 6, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR f L I11.

r1 1 w I/ II! I 1 H 1/ 1/ I I I 1/ 1 I! r/ r 11 1/ ll 1 l 1/ I! I! I/ 1/ /l 1/ Dec. 29, 1936. w. F. EPPENSTEINER APPARATUS FOR SWEATING OUT FUSIBLE METALS Filed Dec. 6, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR BY A'r T z EYs y Dec. 29, 1936. w. F. EPPENSTEINER APPARATUS FOR SWEATING OUT FUSIBLE METALS GSheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Fi led Dec. 6, 1934 ZA -rmvs.

Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PAT QFEIQE APBARA'IUS FOR SWEATING OUT FUSIBLE METALS Application December 6, 1934, Serial No. 756,271

9 Claims.

My present invention relates to apparatus for reclaiming more readily fusible metals from those of lesser fusibility by the application of heat. More specifically it relates to the recovery of such fusible metals by the sweating out thereof from their union with metals of lesser fusibility by the application of superheated steam. The invention is applicable to the salvaging of various metals from articles or defective structures containing them, such, for example: solder from automobile radiators, lead from electric cable coatings, Babbitt metal from bearings, tin from tin-plate on cans and the like, and in numerous other instances where a more fusible metal or alloy is to be separated from a less fusible metal or alloy.

The method and means heretofore commonly employed to bring about such separation of metals of the class described has been to place the material to be treated in an oven or retort and subject it to the heat of combustion applied either externally or internally thereof, the more fusible metal or alloy falling into a receiver or tray beneath, while the less fusible metal or alloy is pushed out or otherwise removed from the container. Various means have already been proposed for agitating the metals being treated to promote separation of the fused from the nonfused metal to increase the yield of the metal to be recovered.

The objects of the present invention are to provide an apparatus whereby the treatment of metal articles or structures from which metals are to be reclaimed can be carried out on a large scale and in a continuous manner, wherein the percentage yield of the recovered metals will be substantially greater than has been heretofore possible of accomplishment, and wherein the objectionable effects of oxidation on the recovered metals will be practically eliminated.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention' not specifically enumerated are accomplished by subjecting the metals or articles from which the desired metals are to be salvaged to a heat treatment in a nonoxidizing atmosphere at elevated temperature, preferably by superheated steam contained in a chamber while said articles are being conveyed therethrcugh, agitating said articles to free the more readily fusible metal therefrom and collecting said fused metal in reservoirs from which it may be intermittently tapped. Preferably the articles being treated are subjected to a preliminary heating by the spent steam after leaving the treatment chamber proper, moving in a direction counter to said articles to remove therefrom contaminating and oxidizing influences and also raise their temperature before they are subjected to the sweating process. The invention Will be better understood from the detailed description which follows, when preheating and heating chambers of the apparatus.

Figures 1 and 1a are fractional front elevations of an apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially along the plane of the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fractional longitudinal section through the adjacent portions of the" preheating and heating chambers of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fractional longitudinal section through the remainder of the heating chamber and showing the bosh pit into which the articles, after being treated, are discharged.

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially along the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 4 and showing the connection between the heating chamber and a superheater.

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially along the plane of the line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken substantial- 1y along the plane of the line l-l of Fig. 4 and showing in elevation the conveyor for carrying away articles from the bosh pit, and a baling press for acting upon such articles.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practicable embodiment of my invention, the

apparatus may be said to consist of a charging conveyor A, feed conveyors B and C, a trommel D, a bosh pit E, a discharge conveyor F and a baling press G. The conveyor C, the trommel D and the bosh pit E, are preferably enclosed in a steel casing or box H to provide a substantially air-tight closure for the unit comprising said parts. The steel box H may conveniently be formed with double, spaced apart walls It and 2h, suitably reinforced, the space between said walls being filled with a heat insulating material 3h, such as diatoma'ceous earth. The steel box H, it will be understood, will have a configuration adapted to enclose the aforementioned parts of the unit, suitable provision being made to take care of expansion and contraction of the plates in view of the considerable difference in temperatures between the interior of the casing and the outside atmosphere under operating conditions. The entire unit may be supported upon a suitable foundation of concrete .or' the like J, while the housings A and B enclosing the conveyors A and B, respectively, may be suppormd upon a framework or foundation J constructed of steel, reinforced concrete or the like material.

The charging conveyor A may be of any standard link belt, apron type'construction, and may be driven by means (not shown) around the sprocket wheels a and 2a, and b and 2b, respectively. The charging end of the conveyor A extends beyond the housing A, and to preclude the free admission of air into the housing during the charging operations there is provided within the .housing A a pair of longitudinally spaced apart flat doors 3a and 4a, so arranged that one of the doors will be closed, as shown at 3a, when the other will be open. The charging conveyor is inclined upwardly and is adapted to discharge the articles carried thereby to the feedconveyor B over a downwardly sloping apron 5a leading from the discharge end of the conveyor A to the charging end of the conveyor B.

Between the housings A and B and extending upwardly therefrom at the place of union is a vent stack K of a height and diameter to provide the necessary draft to draw the heating medium (superheated steam) through the casing H from the discharge end thereof and through the housing B from the discharge end thereof.

The feed conveyor B extends through the housing 3' which constitutes a preheating chamber for the articles to be acted upon. Said conveyor B, like the conveyor A, may be of any standard link belt, apron type, and as shown in Fig. 2,

consists of carrying plates or pans 2b supported by rollers 3b adapted to ride over tracks 4b. T0 prevent the articles being carried by said conveyor from jamming within the chamber and from contacting the walls of the housing; there are mounted within the casing above the conveyor, skirt boards 5b of any desired construction and material. The housing B through which the conveyor 13 extends is formed with spaced openings 6b in its side walls, the function for which will be presently made apparent.

The conveyor 0 upon which the articles to be treated are sweated, extends through the heating or sweating chamber of' the device and may be of any preferred construction, and as herein shown is of the chain, grate type and consists of plvotally connected links 0 which support angle iron crossbars 2c which may be conveniently -welded to the links with the angles of the bars pointing upwardly, as best shown in Figs. 3, 4

and 5. The links of the conveyor carry rollers 30 and the link chains are trained over sprocket wheels 4c and 50, while the rollers travel over tracks 6c suitably supported by the inner wall of the casing H. Above the conveyor C and suitably supported by theinner wall of the casing are skirt boards 1c somewhat analogous to the skirt boards 51: in the preheating chamber, for preventing the jamming between the chain and the casing of the articles while being conveyed through said chamber. conveyor C in its travel through the heating or sweating chamber be practically non-agitating. For transferring the articles from the conveyor B to the conveyor C I provide an inclined chute L.

Disposed between the upper and lower components of the conveyor 0 are a plurality of V- shaped troughs M formed of steel or other suitable material and connected together along their top edges by angle irons m. These troughs M extend completely across the width of the casing and cover the entire area beneath the upper component of the conveyor. The troughs are all mounted to tilt slightly transversely of the hous- It is intended that the turn, are fitted at their ends with rotatable elbow or L-tubes 3m which act as valves which are adapted when turned downwardly to draw of! the molten metal from the troughs into suitable receiving receptacles or molds 4m. At the opposite or higher ends of each of the troughs M the casing is formed with an opening 5m for facilitating the cleaning out of the troughs or the removal of dross and dirt from the top of the molten metal. Each of these openings is fitted with a door 6m suitably hinged in any conventionalmanner to open and close and provide atightly closed joint. The ends of the troughs adjacent the doors 6m are provided with inclined closures 1m, while at the opposite ends the troughs are provided with baflle plates 8m which extend over the entrance of the tap-off tubes 2m so that all metal to be tapped off must flow underneath the baflle, thereby precluding the passage of dross and dirt from the troughs unless they be tapped practically dry.

The trommel D into which the articles being treated are discharged from the conveyor C may be of any desired or preferred construction, and as herein shown, consists of a cylindrical screen d suitably reinforced by longitudinally extending T-beams 2d and by circumferentially disposed encircling hoops 3d and by end hoops or rings 4c! and 5d, respectively. The end rings each carries a machined steel tire 6d or 1d, respectively, which ride upon trunnion rollers 8d mounted upon suitable pedestals or bearings. The tire id is formed around its periphery with equally spaced recesses or sockets 9d, within which engage the teeth on a driving wheel llld driven by a suitableelectric motor (not shown). The axis of the trommel is tilted slightly toward the discharge end'in order to keep the articles being treated moving in that direction. Beneath the trommel and extending throughout its length and across the width of the casing are a plurality of V-shap'ed troughs M, which, in construction, disposition and function, are quite similar to the troughs M hereinbefore described.

For facilitating the transfer of the material from the. discharge end of the conveyor C to the trommel I provide a transfer apron N, and for taking the thrust of the articles when falling upon the entrance end of the trommel I prefer to reinforce the same with a conical plate 6. 1

I also prefer to provide a chamber below the discharge end of the conveyor 0 and to provide in said chamber an inclined plate 0 extending from the floor of said chamber to the top of the apron N. The function for said plate 0 will be presently made apparent.

The bosh pit E located at the discharge end of the trommel is adapted to receive the articles discharged therefrom. The bosh pit may be suitably constructed' of concrete or the like and has suitable water connections e for filling the pit and sewer connections 2e for draining the pit. Within said bosh pit there are mounted suitable bearing supports I provided with tracks 2! and bearings (not shown) for rollers 3! and If for suitably guiding the lower end of the conveyor within the pit and providing a receiving station for the articles discharged from the trommel. For guiding the discharge of the articles from the trommel to the conveyor F an apron 8e supported by the wall of the bosh pit may be provided. Where the apparatus is constructed in twin units so that a single bosh pit may serve /for both, a second apron 42 may be provided,

as shown in Fig. 4. For excluding access of the air to the trommel through the bosh pit, the connections between the casing enclosing the trommel. and the bosh pit are all water sealed, for example, by the depending plate 571 (Fig. 4) and the depending plates in (Fig. 7).

The discharge conveyor F at its upper end leads to a chute P for transferring the articles after having been passed through the sweating process to the baling press G. This baling press may be of any desired or preferred construction,

and as herein shown is of the screw spindle type, which may be motor operated and consists of a plunger 9 operable by power applying means 2g to compress a mass of material within the top of a casing or cylinder 3g to bale the same, after which said baled mass may be ejected from the cylinder by an air operated plunger or the like 4g into an open top freight car or the like Q.

superheated steam for heating the chamber for sweating operations may be supplied by any type of superheater R having the requisite capacity. The steam may be charged to the super- -heater from an ordinary steam supply line S and discharged from the superheater through the pipe T, it being understood that the superheater will be equipped with the necessary indicating pyrometers and other'appurtenances for maintaining a constant temperature. From the pipe T the superheated steam may be conducted-to the casing H at two points, (1) through the pipe T to the discharge pipes If within the chamber around the trommel; and (2) through the pipe T into the heating chamber containing the conveyor C at or near the discharge end of said chamber. The pipes t and T" may be suitably formed with holes through which the steam may enter the respective chambers.

It will be understood that the invention is adapted for use for treating various types of den vices for reclaiming more readily fusible metals from the less fusible metals with which they are associated. Specifically the present device has been designed for reclaiming solder from automobile radiators, and in describing the operation of the device such radiators will be considered as the articles acted upon.

Operation.The radiators U are manually placed in position on the feed conveyor A, either together with their frames or with their frames removed. Depending upon the .capacity of the device. the radiators may be charged two wide and two or three high on the conveyor with their hose connections pointing downwardly. In the course of this feeding and charging operation it will be understood that one of the flat doors 3a or 4a will always be closed so as to exclude an inrush of air or a discharge of steam from the charging compartment of the casing H. From the conveyor A the radiators are fed over the apron 5a. onto the conveyor B within what is termed the preheating chamber of the device. In this preheater the superheated steam from the trommel chamber and the heating chamber enclosing the conveyor C will slowly pass on its way to the stack K out to the atmosphere, and in said passage air will be admitted through the openings 5b which will serve to lower the temperature of the steam as it approaches the charging end of the preheating chamber, and conversely, said steam will serve to progressively heat the radiators as they approach the heating chamber proper. The superheated steam is charged to the heating and trommel chambers at slightly above atmospheric pressure so as to exclude the entrance of atmospheric air from said sweating chambers. The draft created by the stack K will usually be sufficient to cause a normal flow of the steam from the sweating chambers through the preheating chamber and also draw cooling air through the openings 61) and cause it to pass in the same general direction as the steam, which is contrary to the direction of feed of the radiators. It will thus be appreciated that as the steam is being progressively cooled, the radiators are being progressively heated and freed from adhering moisture and other volatile matter.

From the conveyor B in the preheating chamher the radiators will be discharged over the apron-L onto the conveyor C into the heating or sweating zone. Here the action of the superheated steam upon theradiators as they travel along causes the solder to be sweated out and fall between the angle bars, 0 down into the V-shaped troughs M underneath. At the end of the conveyor C the radiators will be fed over the apron N into the trommel D, where, by the tumbling action thereof, practically all the remaining free or uncombined solder is removed from the radiators and caught in the V-shaped troughs M. The traveling conveyor C in the steam-heated chamber provides for the separation of the molten metal under conditions of practically no agitation, while the trommel D provides separation under conditions of violent agitation. Separate pans being provided for the collection of the fusible metal under each of these conveyors, it will be appreciated that two types of metal are produced and thus kept separate. The metal collected in the troughs M under the non-agitating conveyor C is more pure than that collected in the troughs under the trommel D. More specifically, in treating auto mobile radiators, ithe solder collected in the troughs M under the conveyor C is found to be somewhat richer in tin than that collected in the troughs under the trommel.

From the trommel the radiators are discharged into the water filled bosh pit for coolingand are therein received upon the discharge conveyor F and carried to the baling press G where they are baled and discharged into the fiat car Q. Where the radiators have been charged to the device together with their frames, these frames will be manually removed from the conveyor F as they come up out of the bosh pit so as not to interfere with the baling of the substantially solder-free brass. The solder is tapped at intervalsfrom the V-shaped troughs through the L-tubes 3m into the molds 4m. Just prior, however, to the tapping operation. the dross is preferably removed from the various troughs through the clean-out doors 6m. As the device is primarilyintended to be continuously operating, such tappings may be carried out, say once in every eight hour shift or oftener, if found necessary.

The entire apparatus may be shut down for a thorough clean out once every ten days or two weeks, and in this connection it may be stated that the only places whereat trouble has been experienced in the practical operation of the device are at the discharge end of the conveyor C and at'the entrance to the trommel. To reduce these troubles to a minimum I have provided at the discharge end of the conveyor C the chutes or aprons N and O. The trouble aforementioned is primarily caused by the fact that a large part of the radiators when arriving ribbon form and very often these ribbons are carried beyond this discharge point between the angle bars forming the grate, thus droppin Experience has taught that at times the material carried beyond the discharge point, as explained above, accumulates and builds up against the underside of the conveyor, causing a jam which necessitates shutting down the entire unit until said material can be cleaned out. It has also been foundthat these ribbons occasionally build up in the intake end of the trommel and gradually build back to the grate conveyor, causing a Jam at said point. To indicate to the operators that either of these plug ups are taking place, ammeters have been installed on the operating platform to indicate the current consumption of the two main drive motors. By thismeans the operators can check the currentconsumption of the motors, and when these show a constant rise above the normal operating range, the operators know that trouble is developing and can immediately shut dowri the unit for clean out, which operation can usually be done in a short time without cooling oflf the entire equipment.

As previously pointed out, the clean out door 0 will serve for cleaning out any accumulations below the discharge end of the conveyor C. For

" freeing the front-end of the trommel, a door V has been provided in the roof'of .the casing H over the discharge end of the conveyor C. A clean out door X may also be provided in the casing H at the feed end of the conveyor C to remove from beneath the apron L any accumulations which may take place thereat.

For removing solderfrom radiators, experience has taught that the best operating temperatures are as follows; in the trommel sweating chamber, from 800 to 875 F., and at about six feet inside the intake and of the sweater, from 750 to 775 F. The temperature of the heating or sweating chamber within which the grate conveyor C moves, is regulated by controlling a high'temperature steam valve Y in the line leading from the superheater to the conveyor chamber, while the temperature to the sweater over all is regulated primarily by the quantity of saturated steam admitted to the superheater. Thiscan always be controlled .by setting the automatic temperature regulators at whatever degree of heat is required.

While. I have shown and described an apparatus which was primarily designed for sweating out solder from radiators, it will be appreciated and understood that the invention is not to be construed as limited solely for this purpose, since it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes in construction, proportions and mechanical details may be varied within the scope of engineering skill without departing from L the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for treating metalscomprising a heating chamber, a preheating chamber in open communication with the heating chamber, conveyor means movable through the chambers, means for charging superheated steam to the heating chamber, and means adjacent the article charging end of the preheating chamber for a drawing the superheated steam through the heating and preheating chambers, the preheating conveyor and the trommel being movable within the chamber, and separate means below the conveyor and below the trommel for collecting the molten metal separated from the less fusible metals by the high temperature atmosphere while traveling through the chamber.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ends of the trommel are open and theaxis of the trommel is tilted slightly'toward the discharge end thereof.

4. An apparatus for treating metals comprising a chamber adapted to contain a high-temperature, non-oxidizing atmosphere, conveyor means having openings therethrough movable in the-chamber, substantially V-shape troughs below the conveyor means and transversely disposed with respect thereto for'receiving molten metal, said troughs being connected together at their tops to provide continuous receiving means for the molten metal, and means leading from said troughs to the outside of the chamber for tapping off the molten metal from the troughs.

5. An apparatus for treating metals comprising a chamber adapted to contain a high temperature, non-oxidizing atmosphere, conveyor means having openings therethrough movable in the chamber, substantially v-shape troughs below the conveyor means and transversely disposed with respect thereto and declined toward one end for receiving molten metal, means on the outside of the chamber leading from the lower ends of the troughs for tapping off the molten metal from the troughs, and a baflle in each trough extending down therein below the drawofl tube at the draw-oft end to prevent dross from being drawn ofl.

6. An apparatus for treating metals comprising a. chamber, conveyor means having openings therethrough movable in the chamber, substantially V-shape troughs disposed transversely of and below the conveyor means, means at the outside of the chamber leading from one end of the troughs for tapping oif molten metal from the troughs and a ,door in the chamber at the opposite end of each trough for skimming ofl the dross from the molten metal and for cleaning out the trough.

.-'1. An apparatus for treating metals'.comprising a chamber, a conveyor grate and a trommel at the discharge end ofthe conveyor grate movable within the chamber, an inclined slide for transferringarttcles from the discharge end of the conveyor grate to the trommel, and an oppositely inclined deflector slide extending from the first slide rearwardly below the conveyor.

8. An apparatus for treating metals comprising a chamber, a conveyor grate and a trommel-at the discharge end of the conveyor grate movable within the chamber, an inclined slide for transferring articles from the discharge and of the conveyor grate to the trommel, an oppositely inclined deflector slide extending from the first slide rearwardly below the conveyor, and a clean 5 out door in the chamber near the bottom of the deflector slide.

9. An apparatusior separating out more fusible metals from less fusible rhetals with which they are united, comprising a chamber adapted to contain a non-oxidizing, high temperature atmosphere, a practically non-agitating conveyor and a violently agitating conveyor arranged in tating conveyor being adapted to receive the metals being treated from the practically nonagitating conveyor, and separate means below each conveyor. for collecting the molten metal separated from-the less fusible metal by the high temperature atmosphere while traveling through the chamber.

WILLIAM F. EPPENS'I'EINER.

tandem within the chamber, the violently agi- CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

WILLIAM F. EPPENSTEINER.

I It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, second column, lines 6; and '7, strike out "preheating and heating chambers of the a apparatus" and insert instead the words and colon considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. v

Signed and sealed this 16th day of March, A. D. 1937.

' Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acti ng Commissioner of Patents.

out door in the chamber near the bottom of the deflector slide.

9. An apparatusior separating out more fusible metals from less fusible rhetals with which they are united, comprising a chamber adapted to contain a non-oxidizing, high temperature atmosphere, a practically non-agitating conveyor and a violently agitating conveyor arranged in tating conveyor being adapted to receive the metals being treated from the practically nonagitating conveyor, and separate means below each conveyor. for collecting the molten metal separated from-the less fusible metal by the high temperature atmosphere while traveling through the chamber.

WILLIAM F. EPPENS'I'EINER.

tandem within the chamber, the violently agi- CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

WILLIAM F. EPPENSTEINER.

I It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, second column, lines 6; and '7, strike out "preheating and heating chambers of the a apparatus" and insert instead the words and colon considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. v

Signed and sealed this 16th day of March, A. D. 1937.

' Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acti ng Commissioner of Patents. 

